HYDERABAD - Cheerleaders may have added a dash of glamour to the billion-dollar Indian Premier League, but Shahid Afridi sees them as a distraction.

The Pakistan all-rounder, who is signed up to Deccan Chargers, rejects the idea they add to the entertainment value of the game.

"The girls in skimpy dresses should be removed from the ground as this is distracting the batsman," he told The News."Cricket itself is an entertainment. It does not require such cheerleaders to entertain."Afridi, a veteran of 258 one-dayers, had a forgettable IPL debut on Tuesday, scoring just two runs in seven balls with his two overs going for 17 runs as the Chargers lost to Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets.The Chargers on Thursday face the Rajasthan Royals looking for their first win of the tournament.Afridi, who was bought by his team for 675,000 US dollars, also feels Pakistani players have been undervalued in the IPL.He told Times Now: "Bids on Pakistan players as compared to other players are not high."Players of Pakistan like Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik who performed exceptionally well in the Twenty20 World Cup last year did not get their due.

"I feel Pakistan players should have been bid for a high amount."